The City of Los Angeles joins a growing list of cities in the ban of a surgical procedure that has long been on the list of elective surgeries at many or most veterinary hospitals in this country. I believe this procedure has been targeted for several reasons. The largest problem has been the botched procedure done by hack surgeons leads to painful disfigurement and is very inhumane. While I agree that this full court press by many humane groups and individuals is a noble one and the practice should be stopped, there are many other pressing animal issues that have equal or greater importance. Working in the field without the shelter of a walled institution, the house call vet experiences the horror of inhumane animal treatment in situ. I believe the city and society as a whole should make efforts to ban several other common practices.
Ban on backyard breeding for fun and profit. The city has attempted to make spay and neuter manditory. Is it happening? The murmur has died down on that front. Can we step up enforcement and reduce the rampant homeless pet population? Maybe a fine for backyard breeders. I rest my case.